Mail-box.



N. MCDONALD, JR.

MAIL BOX.

APPLICATIONHLED MAR. 2. 1916.

1,204,580.- v Patented Nov. 14,1916.

- 814 11c wtoz N. MC DONHLD JR '7 NEIL MGDOZN'ALD, JR., OF COLEMAN, MICHIGAN.

ivrarn-isox.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 14;, 1916.

Application filed March 2, 1916. Serial No. 81,705.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NEIL MCDONALD, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Coleman, in the county of Midland and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail- Boxes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to mail boxes used on rural free delivery routes or in other situations of like character, and thegeneral object of my invention is the provision of a mail box so constructed that rain will not enter the box and damage the mail contained therein, and also so constructed that when the box is unlocked the mail containing section of the box will be projected into such position that the carrier can readily collect the mail therefrom or deposit mail therein.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of an indicator or signal mounted upon the box in such manner that it may be readily shifted to indicate the presence of mail in the boxbut which will be automatically shifted from its display position when the box is closed.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of a mail box constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is anend elevation of the box shown in Fig.1, with the front plate of the drawer partially broken away; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the construction illustrated in Fig. 1, showing the drawer open and the signal projected; and Fig.' 4 is a top plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 3 partly in section,'showing in dotted lines the drawer opened.

Referring to these figures, designates the outer section or casing of the mail box, the upper wall or top beingrounded so that it will shed water. The bottom 11 of the box is formed with a. slot 12 and with a downwardly depending flange 13 at its forward end. Slidingly disposed within the casing or section 10 is a drawer 14 which has a sliding fit in the casing and rests upon the bottom thereof, this drawer having a front wall 15 having an area greater than the cross section of the casing 10 so that when the drawer is fully shifted in, the margin of the wall 15 will close against the end of the casing 10. Attached to the flange 13 1s a spring 16 whichat its rear end is con-, nectcd to the bottom of the drawer 14:, this spring being of such strength as to project the drawer at least half way out of the casing when the locking devices on the casing are released. 7 i

In order to lock the drawer in its closed position, '1 preferably provide the upper portion of the casing 10 with the forwardly extending resilient strip 17, this strip being formed at its forward end-with the up wardly projecting detent 18 having a beveled face 19. This head, when the drawer is closed, is adapted to pass through a slot 20 in the front wall 15 and lock the drawer closed. It may be held in this locked position by any suitable locking means, such as a padlock, if'desired. But it will be seen that if the padlock is removed the head 18 may be forced downward and that then the spring 16 Will cause the drawer to be projected a certain distance. r

The signal which I-have devised for the purpose of indicating the presence or absence of mail within the box comprises an arrow-shaped body 21 which is' mounted preferably upon the side of the box, this arrow-shaped body having a head 22 at its rear end and a head 23 at its forward end. The shank of this indicator 21 passes beneath a metallic strap 01' any other suitable guide, the strap being used for illustrative purposes and being designated 24:. The head 22 prevents the indicator from being drawn in one direction entirely out of-engagement with the strap 24, while the head 23 prevents it from' being entirely withdrawn in the other direction. The strip of metal forming this indicator is sufficiently resilient so that it may be drawn laterally outward to pass the projecting margin of the wall 15 of the door so that it may be drawn outward to its full extent to indicate the presence of mail within the box. hen the drawer is drawn outward, however, the wall 15 will pass the head 23 and the indi cator will spring back into position behind the margin of the wall 15 so that when the drawer is released or forced inward it will shift the indicator rearward to its normal position. It will be seen that by this means the indicator is rendered automatic in its .action in that after mail has been removed the indicator will be automatically shifted to a position where it will not be displayed.

Indicators at present in use on mail boxes of this character may be accidentally displayed even after the mail has been removed, and there is no means used for interlocking the indicator with the drawer so as to cause it to be shifted to its non-display position when the drawer is closed.

For the purpose of supporting mail within the mail box, I provide the drawer 1a with the upwardly extending mail grasping rack 25 which consists of strips of metal, vertically disposed, and in which letters or like matter may be inserted so that when the postman or carrier opens the box he is not obliged to pick the mail. off the bottom of the box but the mail is supported in position where it may be readily grasped. Brackets are attached to the box in any suitable manner whereby it may be connected to a post or other support.

It is of course obvious that many changes may be made in the details of construction of this device without departing in any manner from the invention. It may be modified in many ways to suit different exigencies of operation, but it is particularly adapted for use on rural mail delivery routes, as before stated. By providing the spring 16, I provide for an automatic projection of the drawer so that the carrier is not obliged to pull it out. Furthermore, the

ing a casing and a drawer slidable therein,

the end of the drawer projecting beyond a side wall of the casing, of an indicator slidably mounted upon the side wall of the box and normally disposed inward of the edge of the projecting portion of the wall of the drawer, the indicator being resilient so that it may be deflected beyond said wall and pulled outward, and stops limiting the movement of the indicator to an extent permitting the drawer to be drawn out with its front wall in advance of the forward end of the indicator whereby the indicator will. spring inward behind said front wall and will be shifted rearward with the drawer.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

NEIL McDONALD, JR.

Witnesses BERT WALKER, HENRY MCDONALD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D C. 

